Keats Favored in National Jockey Club

Henry Pabst's speedy Keats is the morning line favorite for Saturday's $250,000 National Jockey Club Handicap (gr. III) at Hawthorne Race Course.

The 1 1/8-mile event for 3-year-olds and older attracted a field of 10.

Keats, a 5-year-old horse by Hennessy whose last graded stakes win came in the Coolmore Lexington (gr. II) two years ago, is the 7-2 morning line favorite and will carry 114 pounds. To be ridden by Larry Melancon for trainer Niall O'Callaghan, he's coming off a third-place finish in an allowance race at Gulfstream on March 22. He was fourth to Harlan's Holiday after setting the pace in the Donn (gr. I) at Gulfstream a month earlier. Overall, Keats is 19-5-2-4 with earnings of $447,840.

Also in the field is Irish Acres Farm's Colorful Tour, pegged at 4-1. The Noel Hickey charge, assigned top weight of 119, had a five-race winning streak snapped when second by a length to Patton's Victory in the Fifth Season Stakes at Oaklawn Park on April 9. Curt C. Bourque'll ride the 4-year-old colt.